As per the voting on the Project American Heroes website (www.projectamericanheroes.net), it's time to paint this Camaro red. Project American Heroes 2 will be auctioned off at the Palm Beach, Florida Barrett/Jackson Event in 2009 to some fortunate man or woman who, in all probability, has wanted a red 1969 Camaro for a very long time. All proceeds will go to the Armed Forces Foundation, the same organization with whom we partnered last year for the build of the 1957 Chevy convertible PAH 1. The success in working with the Armed Forces Foundation was a huge factor in desiring to do the sequel build for 2008.

All those who have contributed to the cause are excited to see the SS Camaro take shape, but even more anxiously awaiting to see the response of those bidding to make the purchase at Barrett/Jackson. Why? Because it's a RED '69 Camaro! Of course, not every Chevy guy will want to admit it, but most of us have had some fondness for the '69 Camaro. The iconic shape, the performance, the memories of a particular 1969 Camaro forever engraved in your mind have played over and over, making you long for one in your garage. Some of us have wanted one ever since they were first introduced in the fall of 1968.

At that time, magazines went crazy over the car. Chevy guys in 1969 were falling all over this new Camaro. Word on the street was that the subtle refinements made it better looking than the '67s and '68s, and the increased performance options only fueled its popularity. Projects were being built, legends were being forged. Remember Car and Driver's Project '69 Camaro "Blue Maxi" shepherded by Patrick Bedard? How about Joe Oldham's Baldwin Motion SS427 Camaro that appeared in the East Coast Hi-Performance Cars magazine, interestingly enough sporting a PAH 2-style Stinger hood? Even kids who weren't reading the magazines were discovering the '69 Camaro. Did you visit a Chevy dealer with your father, and find yourself in the backseat of a brand new RS/SS for the test drive of your life?

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Imperial Blasting had gotten the car to bare metal, but since then, new quarters, doors, fenders, hood, and valence panels had been sourced through Classic Industries via Route 66 Muscle Car Parts. Time to seal up the metal so work could begin on getting the panels laser straight.

DP40LF Epoxy Primer provides excellent adhesion to many types of properly prepared metal, fiberglass and aluminum substrates, as well as plastic fillers. The DP40LF is mixed 2:1 with the DP402LF Catalyst to provide an excellent corrosion-resistance protection for PAH2's bare metal surface.

Nick Jelinek, talented painter and prankster, applies two coats of the PPG DP40LF.

The car is finally one color! The DP40LF leaves a greenish grey color, which will quickly be covered by PPG NCP271. NCP271 offers superior sanding characteristics and excellent gloss holdout.

DP40LF is applied first to the car for sealing the bare metal and providing an excellent foundation for the NCP271 corrosion-resistant primers. Featuring a 3.5 VOC, these PPG primers are free of chrome, lead and isocyanates.

NCP271 must be mixed with NCX275 Corrosion Resistant Primer Catalyst. NCP271 may be also be used as a non-sanding primer.

The PPG NCP271 Primer leaves the car with a light grey/silver hue. Russ is seen spending hours working out high and low points in the body via skim coats of filler and block sanding.

Jelinek and crew all pitch in working the body. Again, skim coats of filler and hours of block sanding are employed to make the panels perfectly straight and the seams flawlessly continuous. At Route 66 Motorsports, all edges and gaps must be "ball bearing running down the gaps of the Lexus" impeccable. Classic Industries sheetmetal is installed and shimmed for perfect gaps.

Often overlooked in restorations, the seam sealer around the roof braces in a Camaro are usually long gone, making the braces ineffective. Duramix 4274 NVH Dampening Material by 3M is a two-part urethane product for replacing factory NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) sealants and foams. Kevin Rock pulls the braces down while Jason applies the Duramix 4274. Clamps are applied where necessary, and allowed to dry.

The rear spoiler needed to be fitted prior to paint, so holes are measured and marked for drilling on the trunk lid.

Jason John drills the deck lid for attaching the rear spoiler.

New masking paper is applied, and the car is wiped down with PPG DX330. It is then again primed with DP40LF in order to get a completely smooth base.

Route 66 Motorsports owner Bill Jelinek has been doing paint and body work for 30 years. Desiring a red that would pop, Bill created the custom "American Heroes Red". When that red started landing on the fenders from Nick's spray gun, we knew it was exactly the right hue for the project.

The body shell and panels receive three or four coats of the Deltron 2000 Jelinek-created "American Heroes Red" that is mixed with DT885 reducer. The smoothed firewall creates an engine bay exclamation point on color selection.

As soon as Nick is done with the basecoat red, instructions are followed for proper drying times. Afterwards, two coats of DBC500, an intermediate clear coat, are applied. At that point, the body shell and panels are sanded with 600 grit paper and ready to get its signature graphic treatment.

Lines laid out are for placement of the stars.

Russ Scholl is called upon to lay out the graphics and work his skills with the air brush. Star templates are held against the car painted grey.

Once the graphic is laid out with the 3M Plastic Tape, the entire hood is masked off.

DBC9700 is applied to the hood for a great look. Attempts to walk away from the cowl hood epidemic often result in a final product that looks gaudy, but the Stinger hood on the PAH 2 Camaro looks fresh and right.

With basecoat and graphics completed, Bill clears the car with four coats of PPG DCU2021 Clear, using DCX61 Activator and DT885 Reducer. No one is allowed in the paint booth when the clear is applied so as to minimize dust in the booth. Father and son, Bill and Nick, stand proudly next to the freshly cleared shell. The graphic couldn't quite be called ghosted in, but it definitely has the perfect subtlety that the Jelineks were hoping for.

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